


Stepping Stones

by Sinsilverwind



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-06-03 17:36:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6619942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinsilverwind/pseuds/Sinsilverwind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after 3x03, in a universe where Azgeda didn't blow up Mount Weather and so Skaikru gets the chance to be the thirteenth clan and Lexa and Clarke's relationship gets the chance to realistically develop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stepping Stones

Truthfully Lexa had no reason to be in her throne room. For the first time in months, she found herself able to relax, with no meetings to attend and no threats to the coalition to be dealt with. Normally, she would have gone into the city to mingle with her people, to browse merchants’ wares and be dragged along by excited children to join them in their games, but that had been before Clarke had been brought to Polis.  
It had been a little over a week since Skaikru had joined the coalition as the thirteenth clan, and the blonde had spent most of that time exploring the city, Lexa’s most trusted bodyguard following her from a respectable distance as a compromise between Lexa’s need to protect Clarke and Clarke’s need to avoid Lexa as much as possible, regardless of what promises had been made. Lexa didn’t blame her for desiring the distance, she couldn’t, not after what she’d done, but a part of her still ached from her shattered dreams of showing Clarke her home.  
The sound of the door opening caught her attention, and she turned to find Clarke walking toward her, trying and failing to look at ease. Lexa fought to keep her expression neutral as she took in the sight of Clarke dressed as one of her people, a few braids woven through her hair. “Is something wrong?” she asked before the blonde could notice her staring. Clarke stopped a few feet away from her, close enough for Lexa to see the dark circles under her eyes.  
“How do you forgive yourself?” The bluntness of her tone alone would have made Lexa’s guards reach for their weapons and would have had Titus complaining for hours about how she allowed Clarke to disrespect her, but Lexa didn’t so much as flinch.  
“For the Mountain?”  
“For everything.” Lexa heard the slightest catch in the younger girl’s voice and felt something inside of her break. Tilting her head towards the balcony, she stepped away from Clarke. She heard the blonde’s footsteps, and a moment later they were standing side by side, gazing down at the city sprawling out below them. For a time they watched the bustle in silence, then Lexa spoke again.  
“We are leaders, Clarke. Everything we do must be for our people above all else. And yes, lives are lost in the process, but countless more are saved.” She nodded towards a group of children running through the streets, their happiness clear from the way they moved. “Had I not made the decisions I had, those children might have been taken and killed by the Mountain Men, but instead they are able to play their games in peace.” She glanced at Clarke, who was still watching the children, jaw clenched. “And if you had not destroyed the Mountain, your people would have died. You saved them, Clarke.” The blonde shook her head.  
“By killing the people who helped us.” Lexa heard the sting of betrayal through the guilt in Clarke’s voice, and had to force herself not to reach for the other girl.  
“There were no other options, Clarke.” She saw the blonde tense, and quickly hurried on before Clarke could interrupt. “I know you, Clarke, I know you do not kill unless it is unavoidable. You wanted the innocent to survive when we marched on the Mountain, did that change once you were inside it?” There was a moment of silence, just long enough for Lexa to start to question herself, before Clarke shook her head. “Would it be wrong of me to assume that you tried to find a peaceful solution?” Again Clarke shook her head, but this time she spoke before Lexa could continue.  
“I tried, Lexa, I tried to reason with him, to make a deal, but he wouldn’t listen. He sent someone to kill us, he was going to kill all of them, I…” Clarke sucked in a breath, wiping at the tears forming in her eyes.  
“You had no choice,” Lexa supplied, softening her tone. “There was no time to find a better way, you had to make a decision immediately or all would be lost.” Clarke nodded.  
“Just like you did,” she whispered. Lexa didn’t respond, not wanting to shift the conversation away from the comfort Clarke needed. “Do you regret it?” The blonde asked after a moment, seeming almost hesitant. Lexa met her gaze evenly.  
“If there had been another option I would have taken it,” she said finally, “but I can never regret protecting my people.” Clarke nodded again, turning to walk away. She was almost to the door when Lexa found the courage to speak again. “But I do regret what I made you do as a result.” Clarke’s footsteps paused, and for a second Lexa thought she would reply, but then they resumed and a moment later the door opened and closed, and Lexa was alone once more.


End file.
